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Before you start
Most printer setups fail for a small number of predictable reasons: the printer is not fully unpacked, the wrong network is selected, or the network password is mistyped. Gathering the following before you begin removes most of them.
- The printer itself, unpacked, with all orange or blue shipping tape, foam inserts and cardboard spacers removed — including any inside the ink or toner compartment.
- A power connection. Plug the printer directly into a wall outlet rather than a switched power strip while you set it up.
- Ink or toner installed and paper loaded. Many printers refuse to complete setup or print a test page until both are in place.
- Your Wi-Fi network name (SSID) exactly as it appears in your device's list of networks, if you are setting up wirelessly.
- Your Wi-Fi password, which you enter on the printer itself. Never share it with anyone, including us.
- The computer, laptop, phone or tablet you want to print from, switched on and connected to the same network.
- A USB cable, if you plan to connect the printer directly to one computer. Most printers do not include one.
- Your printer's model information — usually printed on a label on the front, the top, or inside the front cover. You need this to find the correct software.
A note on Wi-Fi bands
Many home routers broadcast both a 2.4 GHz and a 5 GHz network. A large number of printers can only join the 2.4 GHz network. If your printer cannot see your network at all, this is one of the first things to check — see printer cannot find Wi-Fi.
Choose your connection method
There is no single "correct" way to connect a printer. The right choice depends on how many people need to print and where the printer sits.
| Method | Best when | What you need | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi (wireless) | Several people or devices print, or the printer is not next to a computer. | A wireless network, its password, and a printer with Wi-Fi support. | Depends on signal strength; the printer can drop off the network if the router changes. |
| Wired Ethernet | The printer sits near the router and you want the most stable connection. | An Ethernet cable and a free port on the router. | Requires a cable run; not all home printers have an Ethernet port. |
| USB (direct) | One computer does all the printing and sits beside the printer. | A USB cable of the right type, usually USB-B at the printer end. | Only that computer can print, and only while it is switched on and connected. |
Connect a printer to Wi-Fi
These steps describe the sequence most wireless printers follow when you set them up from the printer's own control panel. Menu names and setup procedures vary by printer model. If a menu on your printer is named differently, look for the closest equivalent — the order of operations is almost always the same.
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Turn on the printer and wait for it to finish starting.
Give it a minute. Many printers run an internal alignment or calibration on first power-up and will ignore button presses until it finishes.
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Open the wireless or network settings.
On a touchscreen this is usually an icon or a menu entry named Wireless, Network, Wi-Fi or Setup. On a printer with only buttons and a small display, it is often reached with a wrench, gear or Menu button. Printers with no display at all use a button-based method instead — see WPS setup below.
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Start the wireless setup wizard.
Look for Wireless Setup Wizard, Wi-Fi Setup, Network Setup or similar. The printer will scan for nearby wireless networks, which takes a few seconds.
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Select your Wi-Fi network from the list.
Choose the network name that matches the one your other devices use. If you see two similar names such as
MyNetworkandMyNetwork-5G, choose the one without the 5G suffix unless you know the printer supports 5 GHz. -
Enter the Wi-Fi password when requested.
Passwords are case sensitive. Use the printer's shift or case key for capital letters, and check any characters that are easy to confuse:
0andO,1,landI. You enter this on the printer only — no legitimate setup guide, including ours, ever needs to know your Wi-Fi password. -
Confirm the printer reports a connection.
Most printers show a confirmation message and light a steady wireless indicator. A blinking wireless light usually means the printer is still trying to connect, or has failed to.
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Print a network or wireless status report, if the printer offers one.
This report is one of the most useful troubleshooting tools available. It shows the network the printer joined and the IP address it was given — typically something like
192.168.1.x. Keep the page; you may need that address later. -
Add the printer to your computer.
A printer being on the network does not automatically make it available in your applications. Continue with the Windows or Mac steps below.
Steps vary between models
Not every printer uses identical steps. Some models are set up entirely from a phone app, some create a temporary "setup" or "direct" wireless network you connect to first, and some require a USB cable during initial wireless configuration. If your printer's documentation describes a different sequence, follow the documentation for your model.
For a longer walkthrough that covers signal placement, guest networks, hidden networks and reconnecting a printer after a router change, see the Wi-Fi printer setup guide.
Add the printer in Windows
Windows can usually discover a printer that is already on the same network, or one that has just been plugged in over USB. These steps apply to Windows 11 and Windows 10; the wording differs slightly between them.
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Confirm the computer is on the same network as the printer.
If your home has separate networks — for example a main network and a guest network — the computer and printer must be on the same one.
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Open printer settings.
In Windows 11: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners. In Windows 10: Settings › Devices › Printers & scanners.
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Select "Add device" or "Add a printer or scanner".
Windows scans the network. Discovery can take up to a minute, so let it finish before deciding it has failed.
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Choose your printer from the results and follow the prompts.
Windows will download and install a driver — the software that translates your documents into instructions the printer understands. This step needs an internet connection.
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If the printer is not listed, use the manual option.
Select Add manually (Windows 11) or The printer that I want isn't listed (Windows 10), then Add a printer using an IP address or hostname, and enter the IP address from the printer's network status report.
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Print a test page.
Open the printer in Printers & scanners, choose Printer properties, and select Print Test Page.
The Windows printer setup guide covers default printers, removing a duplicate entry, print queues and the "printer offline" state in more detail.
Add the printer on a Mac
macOS includes AirPrint, which lets many modern printers work without any additional software. Older printers, or printers whose scanning and maintenance features you want, may still need software from the manufacturer.
- Connect the printer to the same Wi-Fi network as the Mac, or attach it with a USB cable.
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Open printer settings.
On macOS Ventura and later: System Settings › Printers & Scanners. On earlier versions: System Preferences › Printers & Scanners.
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Select "Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax" (or the + button).
The Mac lists printers it can see on the network and any connected by cable.
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Choose your printer from the Default tab.
Check the Use or Print Using field. AirPrint or Secure AirPrint is a good choice when offered; otherwise macOS selects matching software if it is installed.
- Select "Add" and wait for the printer to appear in the list.
- Print a test page from any document, or use Printer Setup › Print Test Page where your printer's utility offers it.
The Mac printer setup guide covers adding a printer by IP address, resetting the printing system, and what to do when a printer appears twice.
Set up a printer over USB
A USB connection is the simplest option when a single computer does all the printing. The printer is available only to that computer, and only while both are switched on.
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Connect the USB cable.
The square-ish end (USB-B) goes into the printer; the flat rectangular end (USB-A) or USB-C end goes into the computer. Connect it directly rather than through a hub while you set up.
- Power on the printer and wait for it to finish starting.
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Install the appropriate software or driver if required.
Windows and macOS both include drivers for many common printers and will install one automatically. If yours is not recognised, download the software for your exact model from the manufacturer's official website — not from a search advertisement or a third-party driver site.
- Add the printer in Printers & scanners (Windows) or Printers & Scanners (macOS) if it did not appear on its own.
- Print a test page to confirm the connection works end to end.
The USB printer setup guide explains cable types, what to try when a printer is not detected, and how to switch a printer from USB to Wi-Fi later.
WPS setup (button-based wireless connection)
Wi-Fi Protected Setup, or WPS, connects a printer to a wireless network by pressing a button on the router instead of typing the password. It is convenient, but it only works where both the printer and the router support it, and many newer routers have WPS switched off by default or removed entirely.
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Confirm both devices support WPS.
Look for a button labelled WPS on the router, sometimes marked with two arrows forming a circle, and a WPS or Wi-Fi Protected Setup option in the printer's wireless menu. If either is missing, use the password method instead.
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Start WPS on the printer first.
Select the WPS or push-button option in the printer's wireless menu, or press and hold the printer's wireless button until the light blinks, depending on the model.
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Press the WPS button on the router within two minutes.
The connection window is short by design. If it closes before the printer connects, simply start again.
- Wait for the printer's wireless light to become steady, then print a network status report to confirm which network it joined.
- Add the printer to your computer using the Windows or Mac steps above.
If WPS is unavailable
Some routers disable WPS for security reasons, and some network administrators turn it off deliberately. That is a legitimate configuration choice. Do not disable your router's security features to complete a printer setup — use the standard wireless setup wizard and type the password instead.
Print a test page and set your default printer
A test page confirms three things at once: the computer can reach the printer, the driver is working, and the printer can put ink or toner on paper. If a test page prints but your documents do not, the problem is usually in the application or in which printer is selected — not in the connection.
- Windows: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners, select the printer, then Printer properties › Print Test Page. To make it the default, open the printer and select Set as default. If Windows keeps changing it, turn off Let Windows manage my default printer.
- macOS: print any document, or open the printer's queue and use the Printer menu. Set the default under Printers & Scanners › Default printer.
About this guide
EA Consultants LLC provides independent informational printer setup guides designed to help consumers understand common printer connectivity and setup procedures. Instructions can vary by printer model, operating system, router, and network configuration. For model-specific instructions, users should consult the manufacturer's official documentation.
This guide is published free of charge and no account is required to read it. We do not sell printers, we do not perform repairs, and we do not provide remote access services.